As someone who has fibromyalgia, I daily deal with people who just don’t “get it” about the pain I experience. There is no relief, no cure, and no matter what I do 24/7 the pain is there. So, why not try this little test and see how YOU do?

ANAHEIM, Calif.—-Millions of Americans affected by fibromyalgia can now share with others what it is like to live with chronic pain, and in the process, raise awareness for this disorder.

The National Fibromyalgia Association today launched “The Fibromyalgia Clothespin Challenge: Awareness at Your Fingertips” to commemorate September Pain Awareness Month. The objective is to keep a clothespin on your finger for 30 minutes. For each minute that you fail to keep the clothespin on your finger, a donation will be made to the National Fibromyalgia Association. (So, if you can only keep the clothespin on your finger for 10 minutes, and you pledge to donate $5 per minute, your donation is $100.)

“Fibromyalgia means living with stabbing, burning, throbbing pain every day,” says Lynne Matallana, president of the National Fibromyalgia Association who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1995. “With this challenge, we want to call attention to the fact that you can remove the pain when you remove the clothespin, but imagine if you cannot. That’s what it feels like for people who have fibromyalgia.”

For more details and how to order the “The Fibromyalgia Clothespin Challenge: Awareness at Your Fingertips” kit, which includes a special commemorative NFA clothespin and pledge card, visit http://www.fmaware.org/.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FIBROMYALGIA ASSOCIATION

The National Fibromyalgia Association is a [501(c) 3] nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia by increasing the awareness of the public, media, government and medical communities. The NFA publishes Fibromyalgia AWARE magazine three times a year and hosts its award-winning website http://www.fmaware.org/.